Associate Professor. Dr. Nguyen Thi Mong Diep and her colleagues have successfully researched recombinant eCG and hFSH hormones with a single injection for the entire reproductive support process.
Two new recombinant gonadotropin hormones, hFSH (human Follicle Stimulating Hormone) and eCG (equine Chorionic Gonadotropin) by Associate Professor. Dr. Nguyen Thi Mong Diep, Quy Nhon University and her colleagues research with the goal of supporting reproduction for humans and animals.
Associate Professor Mong Diep said that in November 2020, her research group received funding for the project “Production of single-chain gonadotropins for fertility treatment” from Vingroup Innovation Fund (VINIF). Starting research, by April 2024, the team successfully launched two hormones eCG and hFSH, which were proven to have biological effectiveness nearly equivalent to standard hormones.
“The advantage of the two hormones is that they have a long half-life in the body; only a single injection is enough for the entire treatment process,” Associate Professor Mong Diep said. The team has completed the production process including stages of design, plasmid amplification, expression on cells, purification, biological activity analysis in the laboratory and testing on mammalian models.
Associate Professor, Doctor of Science Nguyen Thi Mong Diep in a laboratory in France. Image: Character provided
She said that natural gonadotropin hormones have been used for a long time in treating infertility in humans and animals such as hFSH, hLH, hCG, eCG (PMSG). However, because of hygiene and ethical issues, the production and supply of natural gonadotropin hormones is more difficult. Scarce supplies combined with high transportation costs have increased the cost of natural gonadotropin hormones, affecting their use in treating infertility in humans or controlling reproduction in animals.
Some major pharmaceutical companies have researched the production of recombinant gonadotropin hormones to replace natural hormone sources. Many heterodimeric wild-type recombinant hFSH products are commercially available, however they have a rapid half-life. Currently the only product on the market Corifollitropin alfa produced by the American pharmaceutical company MSD (Merck & Co), also known as Elonva, is a recombinant hFSH with a long half-life and only one injection. dose for the entire assisted reproductive process in humans.
Two recombinant single-chain hormones hFSH and eCG from the project of Associate Professor Mong Diep and his colleagues also use a single injection for the entire reproductive support process. The product has marked a new step forward in the field of reproductive support, providing a more effective, sustainable and accessible infertility treatment solution than traditional products, reducing the burden of time and costs. Travel expenses for patients.
Associate Professor Mong Diep said that the project has completed the in vitro research phase and tested on Wistar rats imported from Taiwan. The research unit is ready to transfer technology to bring products to market. However, clinical trials on humans have not been carried out due to limitations in the scope of the current project. “This is the next step that needs to be taken to perfect the technology to produce single-chain gonadotropin for human fertility treatment,” Associate Professor Mong Diep said.
At a recent scientific conference held at Quy Nhon University, experts highly appreciated the potential and effectiveness of two single-chain recombinant hormones hFSH and eCG in modern assisted reproductive techniques. .
These hormones are believed to significantly support fertility in both humans and animals. In particular, recombinant eCG has important applications in improving cattle reproduction. This is groundbreaking research with high commercialization potential, contributing to raising Vietnam’s level in the field of biotechnology.
Dr. Huynh Gia Bao, an expert in in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques at My Duc Hospital (HCMC), hopes that this recombinant hormone research project for reproductive support will help improve accessibility. , reducing treatment costs for Vietnamese patients, especially in remote areas. With the project’s potential and high practical applications implemented by Vietnamese people, he believes in expanding the opportunity to have children for many infertile couples.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Mong Diep is currently Head of the Department of Applied Biology – Agriculture at Quy Nhon University. She is collaborating on research with the French National Institute for Research on Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe), spending 3-6 months every year working here with leading biomedical experts. Her goal is to open a laboratory at the school to both research and teach.
Recently, Associate Professor, Doctor of Science Nguyen Thi Mong Diep became the only Vietnamese person to meet professor standards in France in 2024, and was also in the top 3 excellent candidates for 3 specialized positions: Physiology (Physiologie). , Biochemistry and molecular biology (Biochimie et biologie moléculaire) and Organismal biology (Biologie des organisms).